Minimally-invasive monitoring patch

Abstract

A wearable sensor patch including a generally cylindrical base having a bore, and a skin contact surface having an adhesive thereon; a piston-like part positioned within the bore; at least one microprobe positioned on the piston-like part; a retention spring; wherein the piston-like part is movable within the bore of the base between (1) a first position in which the at least one microprobe is positioned within the bore, and (2) a second position in which the at least one microprobe protrudes past the skin contact surface, and wherein the retention spring and the piston-like part are configured to cooperate such that the retention spring retains the piston-like part in either the first position or the second position

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wearable sensor patch, comprising:
 a generally cylindrical base having:
 a bore, and 
 a skin contact surface having an adhesive thereon; 
   a piston-like part positioned within the bore;   at least one microprobe positioned on the piston-like part; and   a retention spring;   wherein the piston-like part is movable within the bore of the base between (1) a first position in which the at least one microprobe is positioned within the bore, and (2) a second position in which the at least one microprobe protrudes past the skin contact surface, and   wherein the retention spring and the piston-like part are configured to cooperate such that the retention spring retains the piston-like part in either the first position or the second position.   
     
     
         2 . The wearable sensor patch of  claim 1 , wherein the retention spring is configured to allow the piston-like part to move from the first position to the second position upon application of a sufficient release force to the piston-like part. 
     
     
         3 . The wearable sensor patch of  claim 2 , wherein the sufficient release force is at least 0.1 kilogram. 
     
     
         4 . The wearable sensor patch, of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one microprobe is positioned within a microprobe housing. 
     
     
         5 . The wearable sensor patch of  claim 4 , wherein the microprobe housing comprises a flex connector configured to connect the at least one microprobe to an external processing system. 
     
     
         6 . The wearable sensor patch of  claim 4 , wherein the microprobe housing comprises a metal support supporting the at least one microprobe. 
     
     
         7 . The wearable sensor patch of  claim 4 , wherein the microprobe housing includes a housing first part and a housing second part encasing at least part of the at least one microprobe. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A sensor system, comprising:
 the wearable sensor patch of  claim 1 ; and   an applicator.   
     
     
         10 . The sensor system of  claim 9 , wherein the applicator comprises:
 an actuator configured to be actuated by a user;   a plunger configured to contact the piston-like part of the wearable sensor patch when the applicator is assembled to the wearable sensor patch; and   a spring configured to apply a force to the plunger when the actuator is actuated.   
     
     
         11 . The sensor system of  claim 10 , wherein the spring is pre-loaded. 
     
     
         12 . The sensor system of  claim 10 , wherein the spring is configured to be loaded upon application of the wearable sensor patch to skin of a user. 
     
     
         13 . The wearable sensor patch of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one microprobe comprises a plurality of microprobes. 
     
     
         14 . The wearable sensor patch of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of microprobes are staggered so as to include a lead microprobe that contacts the skin before an additional microprobe. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A wearable sensor patch, comprising:
 a casing;   a movable microprobe platform movably positioned within the casing, wherein the movable microprobe platform includes a microprobe system; and   a multiple-spring microprobe array insertion mechanism, comprising:
 a plurality of springs, and 
 a latch operable to activate the multiple-spring microprobe array insertion mechanism, 
   wherein, when the latch is operated so as to activate the multiple-spring microprobe array insertion mechanism, the plurality of springs acts on the movable microprobe platform with a combined force of the plurality of springs so as to deploy the movable microprobe platform.   
     
     
         18 . The wearable sensor patch of  claim 17 , wherein the multi-spring microprobe array insertion mechanism further comprises a spring motion limiter,
 wherein the multiple-spring microprobe array insertion mechanism includes a first spring and a second spring, and   wherein the spring motion limiter is configured to limit a travel of the first spring such that the first spring stops applying force to the movable microprobe platform when the first spring contacts the spring motion limiter while the second spring continues to be in contact with the movable microprobe platform and to apply a force of the second spring to the movable microprobe platform.   
     
     
         19 . The wearable sensor patch of  claim 18 , wherein the second spring is configured to apply an ejection-counterforce sufficient to resists force that may move microprobes of the microprobe system from a skin position or eject the microprobes from skin. 
     
     
         20 . The wearable sensor patch of  claim 19 , wherein the first spring is configured to apply a force that is more than two times the ejection-counterforce. 
     
     
         21 . The wearable sensor patch of  claim 17 , wherein a combined force applied by the plurality of springs is at least 50 grams. 
     
     
         22 . The wearable sensor patch of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of springs includes a plurality of torsion springs. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The wearable sensor patch of  claim 17 , further comprising a safety mechanism configured to prevent unintended release of the multiple-spring microprobe array insertion mechanism.